Below you will find some of the more frequent questions we receive. Should you be unable to find an answer to your question, please feel free to contact us for more information.What is CILAS? CILAS offers students the opportunity to pursue a yearlong study programme in the liberal arts.Why should I apply to CILAS?CILAS offers an inter-disciplinary study programme that explores themes beyond the confines of traditional academic disciplines. Students will acquire the skills to argue sensibly, write clearly, research effectively and present ideas concisely. CILAS is committed to providing students with a sense of direction, self-confidence and leadership through its mentorship programme. The Institute promotes diverse approaches to learning through innovative methods including discussion-based learning, community service and capstone projects. Additionally, CILAS prepares students for a globalised world with an international faculty, guest speakers, study materials and activities.Where is CILAS?The Institute is located in the neighbourhood of Al-Ghuria in Islamic Cairo. CILAS’ location in the middle of lively bazaar allows students to engage with local communities, interest groups and businesses from the school’s own doorstep. Who can apply to CILAS?CILAS intends to admit a diverse student body to the programme. With the help of affordable study fees and partial scholarship awards for up to 25% of students, we hope to enable students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds to access liberal arts education. Any graduate of high school or undergraduate studies may apply to study at CILAS.

What are the requirements for admission to CILAS?CILAS' application procedure is designed to be flexible and open to anybody with a minimum of a high school diploma. Students have to fill in an application form, based on which we invite them for an interview. The interview is to assess their level of English proficiency and to see if they will be committed to the programme.Who is eligible for scholarships at CILAS?Application for financial assistance is open to anyone, but will be reserved for applicants whose educational background and current financial situation reflect genuine need for a scholarship. Students looking to apply for a scholarship will need to make this clear during the interview stage and may need to submit further information following the interview.

When is the application deadline for CILAS?Applications can be made through our online application form here, and will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis.How many students will CILAS accept for its first academic year?We accept both high school graduates and college graduates. They will complete the same curriculum but at different paces and in separate tutorial groups. In total there will be 40 students, 20 in each cohort. Participation in individual courses is also available as a non-degree-seeking student.

How much does the programme cost?Study fees for the yearlong programme is 5000 L.E. (Egyptian Pounds). CILAS offers partial scholarships to eligible students who are unable to cover these costs. Tuition for non-degree-seeking students is determined by the number of courses being taken. Each thematic, core and skills course at CILAS is chargeable at 500 L.E., 400 L.E. and 200 L.E. respectively and capstone projects cost 400 L.E. per unit.Who will be teaching at CILAS?Faculty consists of visiting fellows who have obtained at least a Masters degree in a development-related field. Fellows are also required to have experience working in the field of development, notably UN agencies, OECD, World Bank and local NGOs. Since we employ Discussion Based Learning as our learning method our fellows are not required to be formally trained in pedagogics and/or didactics but care is taken in selecting applicants who can clearly and concisely communicate ideas and have an interest in teaching. Take a look at our 2013 fellows here.What type of institutions will be interested in recruiting CILAS students?We are corresponding and hoping to partner with a range of academic institutions as to facilitate our students' admission to a range of university degree programmes. So far we have established links with universities in the Netherlands, the UK and in California, USA. We will also continue to establish links with development agencies, government agencies, think tanks and companies both nationally and internationally. During the obligatory capstone projects students will work with these partners as our clients. How will English language instruction be implemented with such a range of fluency?We target students from a range of backgrounds including graduates of refugee schools, government schools, religious/church schools, private schools and international schools. Applicants from the latter three are understood to speak English fluently whereas those from the former two or anybody with lower levels of English comprehension will be assessed during interviews and will actively improve proficiency during the programme.